Mumbai model rape case: Forensics use print on dress, photos to reconstruct dental imprints of accused

In a unique breakthrough in the Sakinaka model rape case, Mumbai police have found forensic evidence by reconstructing the exact dental imprints of the accused from bite marks on the victim’s body. With the help of forensic odontology expert at KEM Hospital, Dr Hemalata Pandey, the police have matched the suspect’s teeth impression with the victim’s bite marks and the subsequent report prepared by the forensic team is now part of the charge sheet, according to a report by DNA. [caption id=“attachment_2310796” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. PTI[/caption] The case involved  a 29-year-old model who approached the Mumbai police commissioner Raskesh Maria alleging she was sexually assaulted  by police officers working at the Saki Naka police station. She also said that the policemen extorted around Rs 5 lakh from her. The main accused were assistant police inspectors Sunil Khatpe and Suresh Suryavanshi and constable Yogesh Ponde. One of the problems the investigators faced was that the bite marks on the victims’s body were not fresh as she had gone for a medical examination more than a month after the incident. However, she had photographed her injuries on her phone, continues the report. These photographs proved to be a turning point as the forensic department used a software to corroborate the information on the image with what the model had told the police. The next problem was understanding the scale of the image. “The biggest roadblock after this was scaling the image,” said Dr Pandey. “In this case, it was the floral print of the dress that the victim was wearing at the time of the crime. She had clicked a photo were the dress was visible. We then called in for her dress and we were able to convert the photographic proof to clinching evidence,” DNA quotes the forensic expert as saying. This forensic report could to be the most crucial evidence in the case and the innovative investigation method is sure to benefit the police in future cases as well.